Raid on Bend-area home turns up large ‘butane honey oil’ lab

A January traffic stop of a distracted Bend driver turned up 63 pounds of processed marijuana, sparking an investigation that led to two raids this week. One was at a home north of Bend that housed a marijuana grow and a lab to make a potent form of hashish oil, called “butane honey oil,” authorities said Friday.

An Oregon State Police trooper stopped a 2004 Toyota 4Runner in Bend on Jan. 21 because the driver was using a handheld electronic device, Lt. Bill Fugate said. They learned the driver, Trevor Thayer, 29, of Bend, had a suspended driver’s license – and a search of the car led to the discovery of the processed marijuana, Fugate said.

A continued investigation by OSP detectives and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team led to Wednesday’s execution of search warrants in two locations, the first at 56022 Remington Drive, between Sunriver and La Pine. Thayer was arrested at his home on charges of manufacturing marijuana and felon in possession of a firearm and booked into the Deschutes County Jail, where he remained held Friday without bail on a parole violation.

The Central Oregon Emergency Response Team served the second warrant, at 63465 Hamehook Road, northeast of Bend, Fugate said, adding that the region’s SWAT team was involved “due to the size, location and information received about potential hazards at that location.”

CODE Team and OSP detectives searched the home and learned no one lived there – it was “being used only as a location to manufacture butane honey oil and grow marijuana,” Fugate said in a news release.

“Butane honey oil” is an extremely potent form of hashish (marijuana). Its “dabs” of oil can be vaporized and inhaled for an intense high, without marijuana’s pungent smell.

A large-scale lab operation to make the drug was found, including several pressurized vessels used to store butane, which is extremely sensitive to heat and has a high explosion potential, Fugate said. The OSP Explosives Unit (bomb squad) was called in and rendered one of the vessels safe.

At the two homes, authorities seized a total of more than 136 pounds of marijuana, 104 mature marijuana plants and other evidence of the drug organization, Fugate said.

Two men were contacted at the Hamehook Road address. Thaddeus Patterson, 37, and Jason Pittman, 32, both of bend, were cited to appear in court on marijuana manufacture, delivery and possession charges, Fugate said.

The lieutenant said more information on the investigation “will be released when appropriate.”

– Butane Honey Oil is considered a “Cannabinoid extract” which is described by Oregon Revised Statute as a substance obtained by separating cannabinoids from marijuana by:
(a) A chemical extraction process using a hydrocarbon-based solvent, such as butane, hexane or propane;
(b) A chemical extraction process using the hydrocarbon-based solvent carbon dioxide, if the process uses high heat or pressure; or
(c) Any other process identified by the commission, in consultation with the authority, by rule.

The manufacture of Butane Honey Oil (BHO) is extremely dangerous due to explosive hazards and is illegal by Oregon Revised Statue unless the manufacturer is a licensee or licensee representative which is acting in compliance with ORS 475B.245. Violation is a Class B Felony. Refer to the following Statue.

475.856 Unlawful manufacture of marijuana; exceptions. (1) Except for licensees and licensee representatives that are engaged in lawful activities, and except for a person acting within the scope of and in compliance with ORS 475B.245, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture marijuana.
(2) Unlawful manufacture of marijuana is a Class C felony.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection [(3)] (2) of this section, unlawful manufacture of marijuana is a:
(a) Class B misdemeanor, if a person 21 years of age or older manufactures homegrown marijuana at a household and the total number of homegrown marijuana plants at the household exceeds four marijuana plants but does not exceed eight marijuana plants.
(b) Class B felony, if a person manufactures a cannabinoid extract.